This has to be the Todd Lockwood cover for A Natural History of Dragons. I’ve seen this on a couple of websites on “most anticipated for 2013” lists and based on the cover alone I can see why. Can’t wait to peruse this one in the bookstore and possibly bring it home.

This is a tough one. I love the dynamic energy the dragons featured on the The Order of the Scales and Van Horstmann.

But I too must go with the cover for A Natural History of Dragons. Rather than portray a dragon as a fierce creature, it turns the creature into something elegant and scientific, something to be studied. A very interesting way to consider a dragon.

Van Horstmann all the way. Why? Because that’s the dragon mount for one of the most notorious classic Warhammer Fantasy characters, the sorcerer Van Horstmann. And it’s Ben Counter writing the novel. I love his work.

I’ve actually read an e-ARC of the book and it’s just wonderful how the cover and title give you a perfect idea of what it is about. Namely, the “science” of dragons. We all remember those pictures of the human body where you see part skeleton, part muscle, and part skin wrapped all around it. Well, with a dragon it looks even cooler.
Plus, it’s a wrap-around cover(see the whole thing here on TOR’s homepage: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/06/today-in-beautiful-things-todd-lockwoods-gorgeous-anatomical-study-of-a-dragon).
I’m totally in love with it. It’s simple, it’s evocative, it’s gorgeous.

Gushing aside, the Stephen Deas covers are always beautiful, even if the dragons look more ferocious and wild.

A Natural History of Dragons does it for me. I’ve seen some great dragon covers, but for some reason (probably the chaotic nature of dragons), dragon covers always seem to have so much going on, and despite how beautiful some can be, you can never really keep your eyes on thing.
This cover is very simple, and gets across the idea of the book in a surprisingly minimalistic approach for a dragon cover. I just love it. Makes me want to look through it at the very least, if not pick it right up.

This one is easy. A Natural History of Dragons is just stunning in its simplicity and perfect interpretation of scientific anatomical drawing. There’s plenty of white space so it’s not overwhelming like the “standard” heavy covers represented by the other candidates here. Truly a breath of fresh air when it comes to dragon art. The typography is masterfully done as well, something I cannot say for the Dragon Fate book. It’s just an overall brilliant book cover.

I agree with the majority, A Natural History of Dragons wins here. It’s refreshing and cheeky. Plus everything works on it.

Dragon Fate is interesting. It’s clearly a National Geographic cover design. That’s cute. It’s also book 6, so were the previous 5 also NatGeo homages?

Order of the Scales is probably an epic piece of artwork, worthy of a calendar, but as a cover it’s busy. And let’s hope this is a rough, because the title box isn’t centered under the top blurb and that’s just embarrassing.

There’s nothing special about the cover of The Silent Dragon. Standard issue. Perhaps the story is as well.

The artwork for Van Horstmann is nice. But the layout is a mess. The sideways title creates a weird tangent with the dragon’s nose. Someone at the publisher owes that artist an apology for that.

TSP On This Day

The Internet Review of Science Fiction is a new webzine concentrating on critiques, discussions and reviews of SF. Their first issue came out today. Its not bad for a start. There is an interesting essay on The Book of the New Sun that attempts to uncover the mysterious commotion that occurs at the Piteous Gate at the end of Shadow Continue Reading →

Brian Staveley is a teacher and writer. He has taught literature, religion, history, and philosophy, all subjects that influence his writing, and holds an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University. He works as an editor for Antilever Press, and has published poetry and essays, both in print and on-line. He lives in Vermont with his wife and young son, Continue Reading →

Sweet! Frederik Pohl has been added to the list of sf/f authors who blog. His first post recounts a first meeting with Arthur C. Clarke, his co-author for The Last Theorem. [via Locus Online] Interviews & Profiles:@Comic Book Resources: Wil Wheaton, who voices Blue Beetle in Batman: The Brave & The Bold.@Blogging the Muse: Joe Haldeman (Marsbound). Free Fiction [courtesy Continue Reading →

The new BSG spinoff Caprica premieres tomorrow, January 22nd at 9/8C on the SyFy Channel. (A 91-minute extended cut of the pilot also appears to be available at their website.) The show is described as focusing on the Graystone and Adama families, and on the breakthrough in artificial intelligence that brings unforeseen consequences. Here's the trailer: There's been lots of Continue Reading →